Projectile



K. DOUGAN.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1917.

1,341,844. Patented June 1; 1920.

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PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PBOJECTILE.

Application filed September 20, 1917. Serial No. 192,264.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNEDY DOUGAN, a citizen of the United States residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Eiennepm and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved means for firing projectiles of any desired diameter (not exceeding the diameter of the bore of the gun) from a smooth bore gun, and giving rotary motion to said projectiles; and the objects of my invention are, first, to increase the distance to which projectiles of a given weight can be thrown by a given gas pressure from a gun having a bore of given diameter and length; and, second, to reduce erosion and thereby prolong the life of the gun.

It is well understood that the resistance of the air to projectiles moving at high ve-' locities is very great. Large will throw their projectiles only about half as far throu h the air as through a vacum.

It is we understood also, that air resist ance increases in a more rapid ratio than the cross-sectional area of the pro'ectile. It is a logical conclusion, therefore, t at an 8-inch projectile will meet with less than one-fourth the resistance that a 16-inch projectile of the same weight will meet with when fired at the same velocity. It is a well known fact that there is intense heat generated by friction between the projectile and the rifl'les of the gun. This heat is largely responsible for erosion and is due not so much to the longitudinal travel of the projectile, as to the terrific transverse pressure put upon the rifiles in giving the projectile its rotary motion, as a projectile weighing sometimes a ton or more must have a rotary motion imparted to it of more than 3000 turns per minute, and this is less than the thirtieth of a second.

My invention consists,first, of a head larger than the pro'ectile fill' the smooth bore of the gun, an carrying t e projectile, and against which head the gases of explosion act, and which separates from the projectile immediately upon leaving the muzzle of the gun, owing to its momentum being less in proportion to its cross-sectional area than that of the projectile; second, of means for im arting a rotary motion to the projectile y Wings attached thereto and which wings are thrown oif by centrifugal force when the projectile has attained the required rotational velocity.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the detachable head and adjacent portion of the gun barrel with the projectile shown 1n side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 on the line A with the n omitted.

Fig. 3 is an en arged cross-section of the projectile 2 shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the left.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged side elevation of a portign of the projectile and parts shown in ig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of a portion of the projectile and ring mentioned.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the front end of the rojectile.

Fig. i is an enlarged, central, longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 8 a transverse section'of a portion of the projectile and ring on the line E E, Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a View of a modified form of the projectile, partly in central vertical section.

Fig. 10 is an outside view of one of the parts 6 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fi s. 11 to 19 inclusive show a modified an preferred form of the projectile-rotating means, applied to the rear end of the projectile.

Fig. 11 is a side view of a portion of they projectile partly in vertical central section.

Fig.12 1s a View of the rear end of the projectile with the end plate broken away and a portion of the projectile shown in section.

Fig. 13, an enlarged exterior view of one of the wings, the wing-carrying plate and holding band.

Fig. 14 shows the same parts in vertical section in connection with a portion of the pro'ectile.

ig. 15 shows a view of Fig. 13 looking toward the top of the sheet.

Fig. 16 is a section through Fig. 13 on the line F, and shows its wing in raised or active position.

Fig. 17 is a similar section showing the wing in closed or inactive position.

Fig. 18 is a view of Fig. 13 looked at from the rlght and shows the wing in closed position, and Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 13 with some of the parts omitted.

Referring to Fig. 1:

1 is a portion of the gun barrel shown Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 1, 1920.

broken away, 2, the projectile, 3, a head of the form shown, fillin the bore of the gun; 4 is a sheet metal cy inder rigidly secured to head 3 by weldin or otherwise, 5, a sheet cylinders 4 and 5 and plates 6 and gripping cylinder 5 tightly.

For the purpose of giving rotary motion to projectile 2 after it has left the muzzle of the gun, there is placed around it a metal band which has formed integral therewith or secured rigidly thereto a plurality of wings which set at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the projectile; these wings extend beyond the periphery of the projectile a distance equal to about one-fortyeighth (1/48) the diameter of said projectile. The action of the air upon the wings imparts a gradually increasing rotary motion to the projectile in its passage through the air, and when it has attained the necessary rotary motion, the wings are liberated and thrown ofi by centrifugal force, and the projectile finishes its flight before its rotarymotion is checked by the friction of the air. The wings may be placed on any portion of the projectile; in Fig. 1 they are shown near the middle of the projectile, in Fig. 6 near the front end, and in Figs. 11 to 19 inclusive, close to the rear end. In Fig. 1 there is a channel formed around the projectile to receive the ring carrying the wings; this channel is similar to that shown in Fig. 9 and is designated by numeral 8. 9 is the ring and 10 the wings thereon. This ring is not riveted together until placed in position in the channel 8 when the ends are riveted as shown in Fig. 5. 12 is the rivet.

For the purpose of weakening ring 9 so that it will break at a certain point, there are formed therein holes 13, 14 and 15, and for the purpose of putting a breaking pressure upon the weakened portion of the ring' there is formed in the projectile a round radial hole 16 in which is placed, before ring 9 is riveted in place, a loosely fitting round weight 17, which has its outer end tapered to a cold chisel edge. (See Fig. 8 which is a fragmentary transverse section of the pro'ectile and adjacent parts on the line B, ig. 1.) 18 and 19 are screw threaded holes in pin 17. When ring 9 has been riveted in place, screws are inserted through holes 13 and 15 in ring 9 and screwed into holes 18 and 19, which prevents ring 9 from rotating around the projectile and prevents weight 17 from turning as it is desirable that its chisel edge he in alinement with the horizontal axis of the projectile. Diametrically opposite weight 17 is counter balance weight 21 in hole 22 formed in projectile 2. 23 is a screw assing through ring 9 and screwing into weight 21. When the projectile has been given the required rotary motion in the manner hereinbefore described, centrifugal action forces the sharp edge of weight 17 against ring 9 which together with the action of centrifugal force on the ring cause it to break at the holes 13, 14 and 15. As soon as the ring is broken the ends fly apart and it becomes separated from the projectile, and weights 17 and 21 are thrown from the projectile by centrifugal force. Weight 21 answers the double purpose of helping to prevent the rotation of ring 9 around the projectile by means of screw 23, and by leaving the projectile simultaneously with weight 17, kee s said pro'ectile in running balance.

hould it considered advisable to make ring 9 without a splice such as is shown in Fig. 5, the projectile may be made as shown in Fig. 9, in which 2 is the front end of the projectile shown partly in section, and 24 the rear end. End 24 fits snugly over the small portion 25. Ring 9 is placed in channel 8 before end 24 is put in place. End 24 is shrunk onto part 25 or driven on by h draulic pressure.

Figs. 6 and 7 show how ring may he p lacedon the front end of theprojectile.

ig. 6 is an external view showing the ring in place, and Fig. 7 an enlarged longitudinal vertical section. When app lied in this way. ring 9 is made solid, and slipped on over the nose of the projectile, and is held in lace by screws similar to screw 23, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows a view of the outer side of web 6, in which 26 is the front and 27 the back end of the web. These webs are made in this form to reduce weight and to prevent buckling when the gun is fired.

It is obvious that when the wings 10 are placed on the front end of the projectile as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, that a projectile having the same diameter as the bore of the gun may be fired from any smooth bore gun, since said wings are slightly below the surface of the projectile. The operation is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the gun has a bore of 24 inches and that the base of the projectile is placed feet from the muzzle. that the projectile is 9 inches in diameter. and of such length as to weigh a thousand pounds; that the gas pressure due to the explosion is the same as in a conventional 9-inch gun. The cross-sectional area of head 3 is a little more than seven times that of the projectile, therefore the head and projectile are acted upon with seven times the force that would be expended on the.

projectile in a 9-inch gun, and since the gases act through a space of 90 feet, the i force acts through about four times the space that it would in a 9-inch gun; therefore, head and projectile leave the gun with 28 times the energy that the projectile would have leaving a conventional gun, and assuming that the head weighs 600 pounds, the projectile will have 10/16 of this energy and the head the remainder, and since 10/16 of 28 is 17 the projectile would have 17% times the energy of a 9-inch projectile of the same weight thrown from a 9-inch. gun. The head 3 is made of material that will give the greatest strength in proportion to its weight, such as nickel steel or other steel. The projectile is an easy sliding fit in the sheet metal cylinder 5, forming part of head 3, and slips out easily when both head and projectile leave the gun, the air resistance being so much greater on the head than on the projectile, relative to weight.

Referring to the modified form of the projectile-rotating device shown in Figs. 11 to 19: This form of the device difiers from that hereinbefore described mainly in having the wings folded below the surface 'of the projectile until the projectile has left the gun, when they are thrown into active position by the action of the air, and in each wing being carried on a separate plate and all plates being held in place by a surrounding band which is broken by centrifugal force in the manner hereinbefore described. 2 is the projectile, 28 one of the separate plates mentioned, 9 a band encircling the front end of plates 27 and of such strength as to prevent their being thrown 01f by centrifugal force, before the projectile has attained the required rotary motion, 10 are the wings which are hinged to plates 28 in the manner shown, extensions 29 being formed integral with plates 28. 30 is a pin passing through these extensions and through wings 10 forming the hinge as shown. The manner in which the wings are heldin radial position is clearly shown in Fig. 16. It will be noted that the portion of wings 10 which strike the air are slightly turned from a straight line, as shown at 31, Fig. 16; the object of this is to allow air to act on the lower side of the wings when in closed position and throw them out into active position. The air will also act on the radial portion 10 of the wing to throw it into active position, (see Fig. 17). 9 is a metal band surrounding the front end of plates 28 and is all that prevents their being thrown 01f by centrifugal force. The rib 32 formed on each plate28 is to support this ring; that is to say to take the push due to the inertia of the ring during the acceleration of the projectile by the explosion. Ribs 33-33 are formed integral with rib 32, and their ofiice is to reinforce said rib and to take the strain in direct line due to the inertia of wings 10, which being above or outside of plates 28 would tend to force the front end of said wings outward, as the force would act in a straight line below said wings.

To prevent plates 28 from turning relative to the projectile, there are formed integral with said plates inwardly turning portions 34 which enter loosely fitting mortices formed in the projectile as shown in Fig. 12. To prevent the rear end of each plate from being thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, there is formed on the rear portion of each plate 28, a rearwardly extending pin 46 which enters a hole in disk 36.

For the purpose of breaking band 9 when the projectile has attained the required rotary motion, said projectile is provided with a radial hole 38 extending nearly through it, in which is a loosely fitting weight 39, the inner end of which is formed to fit the inner end of a similar weight 40, which is provided with a slightly enlarged outer end 41 which is screw-threaded and screws into a threaded hole in the projectile. The inner end of weight 40 is formed as shown to receive the inner end of weight 39. The two weights are held together by a screw 42, the diameter of which is reduced as shown so that when the centrifugal action becomes great enough it will break at this its weakest point, and allow weight 39 to fly outwardly.

Formed in one of the plates 28 is a hole 43 (see Fig. 19) countersunk from the outside and which registers with a hole of the same diameter in the thin portion of the projectile, connecting the exterior thereof with the outer end of hole 38. Loosely fitting in these holes is a pin 44 having projecting portions 45 adapted to prevent its passing inwardly. The outer end of this pin is chisel shaped, with its edge in alinement with the horizontal axis of the projectile and just touching the inner side of band 9. When screw 42 breaks, weight 39 flies outwardly striking the inner end of pin 44,

causing it to break band 9 and liberate the plates 28, which are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, and since hole 38does not extend entirely through on that side of the projectile. weight 39 only moves to the outer end of hole 38 where it counterbalances weight 40. It will be understood that when wings 10 are in the inactive position their outer surfaces are scarcely flush with the surface of the projectile. and that. there will be no undue friction when the projecried by said projectile, a protecting jacket surrounding said wings and engaging the same, a removable head provided with a lug engaging an opening in the end of. the projectile, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination, a projectile provided with wings, a protecting jacket engaging said wings, and a removable head engaging the rear end of the projectile, substantially as shown and described.

3. A projectile provided with a weight movable outwardly by centrifugal force,

said projectile being provided with wings on any portion of its exterior, said wings being adapted to rotate said projectile in its passage through the air and to be liberated from said projectile by the centrifugal force of the aforementioned weight.

4. A projectile provided with a weight movable outwardly by centrifugal force, said projectile being provided with wings on any portion of its exterior, said wings being adapted to rotate said projectile in its passage through the air and to be liberated therefrom by the centrifugal force of the aforementioned weight when said projectile has acquired any desired angular velocity.

5. A projectile provided with wings adapted to rotate said projectile, means adapted to prevent said wings from being rotated relative to said projectile, and means for automatically detaching said wings from i said projectile when said projectile is being rotated upon its horizontal axis at a predetermined velocity.

6. A projectile provided with wings adapted to rotate said projectile in its passage through the atmosphere, each of said wings being provided with an inwardly turning lip adapted to enter a mortise in, and prevent the rotation of said wings rela= tive to said projectile, and a binding band adapted to hold said wings in contact with said projectile. V

7. A projectile provided with wings adapted to rotate'said projectile in its passage through the atmosphere, each of said wings being provided 'with an inwardly turning lip adapted to enter a mortise in,

and prevent the rotation of said wings rela-v tive to said projectile, a binding band adapted to hold said wings in contact with said projectile, and a centrifugal weight adapted to break said band and liberate said wings when said projectile has attained the required rotational velocity.

8. A projectile provided with a circumferential channel, a plurality of plates carried in said channel, wings carried by said plates adapted to rotate said projectile in its passage through the atmosphere, and a holding band surrounding said plates.

9. A projectile provided with a circumferential channel in its outer surface, its front side slopinginwardly toward the rear of said projectile, its rear side being at right angles to the horizontal axis of the pro ectile, a plurality of plates adapted to fit into said channel, a projection on the rear end of each plate adapted to enter a hole formed in the rear wall of said channel and prevent that end of said plate from being thrown off by centrifugal force, a wing carried by each plate, and a band surrounding the front ends of said plates.

10. A projectile provided with a circumferential channel in its outer surface, a plurality of plates adapted to fit into said channel, a wing carried by each plate, a band surrounding the inner ends of said plates and a weight adapted to break said band by centrifugal force.

. 11. A projectile provided with a circumferential channel in its outer surface, a plurality of plates adapted to fit into said channel, a wing carried by each plate, a band surrounding the inner ends of said plates and a weight adapted to break said band by a predetermined centrifugal force.

, 12. A projectile provided with a circumferential channel in its outer surface, a plurality of plates adapted to fit into said channel, a wing carried by each plate, a band surrounding the inner ends of said plates and a .weight carried by said pro ectile adapted to break said band by centrifugal force.

13. A projectile having a circumferential channel formed in its outer surface, its front side sloping inwardly toward the rear of the projectile, its rear side formed at right angles to the horizontal axis of the projectile, a plurality of holes in said rear side adjacent the bottom thereof, in aline- -ment with the horizontal axis of said proside sloping inwardly toward the rear of the projectile, its rear side formed at right angles to the horizontal axis of the pro ectile, a plurality ofholes in said rear slde adjacent the bottom thereof, in alinement with the horizontal axis of-said projectile, spaced equidistant apart, and surrounding said projectile, a radial hole formed in the channel portion of said projectile and extending from the surface on one side of said rojectile to near the surface on the opposlte side of said projectile, a smaller hole through theremaining channel portion of said projectile, a plurality of plates adapted to fit loosely into said channel between said front and rear walls, each plate having a wing hinged to its outer side and a pin or projection formed on its rear end adapted to enter one of said aforementioned holes, a band surrounding the front end of said said plates, and a weight adapted to break said band by centrifugal force.

15. A projectile having a circumferential channel formed in its outer surface, its front side sloping inwardly toward the rear of the projectile, its rear side formed at right angles to the horizontal axis of the pro ectile, a plurality of holes in said rear side adj acent the bottom thereof, in alinement with the horizontal axis of said projectile spaced equidistant apart, and surrounding said projectile, a plurality of plates adapted to fit loosely into said channel between said front and rear walls, each plate having a wing hinged to its outer side and a pin or projection formed on its rear end adapted to enter one of said aforementioned holes, a band surrounding the front end of said plates, a hole through the front end of one of said plates adapted to register with the small hole mentioned, a loosely fitting sharp edged pin carried by said plate in sald hole, said pin being provided with projections on two sides, adapted to support it in said plate and having its inner end flat and extending into said first named radial hole,

and a centrifugal weight carried in said radial hole adapted to break the aforesaid band by centrifugal pressure on the flat end of said loosely fitting sharp edged in.

16. A projectile having a circum erential channel formed in its outer surface, its front side sloping inwardly toward the rear of the projectile, its rear side formed at right angles to the horizontal axis of the projectile, a plurality of holes in said rear side adjacent the bottom thereof, in alinement with the horizontal axis of said projectile, spaced equidistant apart, and surrounding said projectile, a weight rigidly secured in the open end of said radial hole, a weight of approximately the same size carried in the opposite end of said radial hole, a frangible connection connecting the inner ends of said weights, a plurality of plates adapted to fit loosely into said channel between said front and rear walls, each plate having a wing hinged to its outer side and a pin or projection formed on its rear end adapted to enter one of said aforementioned holes, a band surrounding the front end of said plates, and a weight adapted to break said band by centrifugal force.

September 17, 1917.

KENNEDY DOUGAN.

Witnesses S. SHUFELDT, FRED GARDNER. 

